Amit Shah, Venkaiah Naidu kick start campaign for Delhi municipal polls, slams AAP government
NEW DELHI: Setting the tone for the upcoming municipal corporation polls in Delhi, BJP chief Amit Shah on Saturday slammed AAP government saying that no previous government in Delhi has been as corrupt as the incumbent one.
Following the record and historical victory in UP assembly polls, the mood in the BJP is quite upbeat and the Central leadership is leaving no stone unturned to secure victory in municipal polls in Delhi scheduled for next month.
Party chief Amit Shah along with senior leader Venkaiah Naidu and many state unit BJP leaders were addressing massive crowd of party workers at the Ramlila Ground on Saturday afternoon in which they hit out at the Arvind Kejriwal led Delhi government for its alleged failure and corruption in Delhi.
Shah referred to party's victories in the recent assembly polls and said a win the civic elections will help catapult the party to power in Delhi. While addressing the party workers, the BJP chief pointed to an India map near the dais saying while the country is being painted in saffron, Delhi continues to remain a white spot and asked the party workers to ensure BJP's victory in the civic polls.
“After 2014, BJP has won nearly everywhere, except Delhi and Bihar. Today BJP workers will go back with a resolve to plug the gaps and so that the BJP's victory flag is unfurled in Delhi," he said.
The BJP chief accused CM Arvind Kejriwal of getting into fights with the Centre for political reasons. “The AAP has indulged in corruption like no other party has in such a short time. His (Kejriwal) principal secretary was arrested by CBI. There was graft in procuring onions, in appointments in DCW, in procuring water tankers, street lights…A minister is involved in hawala. There was a scam in waqf board. And most importantly, AAP used Delhi exchequer's money in Gujarat, Kolkata and other states for putting out advertisements," Shah said.
Union minister Venkaiah Naidu slammed the AAP government in Delhi for lagging development of the city due to its non-cooperation with the Centre and urged people to support BJP in the MCD elections in the capital.
The urban development minister, addressing BJP's ‘Panch Parmeshwar’ booth-level workers, said that unless the Centre, state government and municipal bodies work together, a city cannot develop.
Attacking Kejriwal, he said that wherever the AAP leader went he faced defeat and the same fate awaits him in Gujarat also. “Kejriwal needs to be given the message to roam around the country and stay away from Delhi. He went to Varanasi and Goa and was defeated there. He will be treated similarly in Gujarat also”.
Naidu termed the MCD polls as ‘Mini India elections’ and said people want to strengthen Prime Minister Narendra Modi's hands because he is an able leader dedicated to development.
Other party leaders including Union Minister Harsh Vardhan, Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari, BJP organisation secretary Ram Lal, and party MPs from Delhi also attacked AAP government in Delhi and mentored workers to ensure the party's victory in elections to three municipal corporations on April 23.
Meanwhile, in an attempt to garner support from the people of Delhi, CM Arvind Kejriwal made announcement to get rid of House Tax if they come to power in the municipal bodies. He said that any leftover dues will also be waived.
For the MCD’s which are already struggling to make ends meet, house tax is the biggest source of revenue. Around Rs 1,500 crore is the annual house tax generated in all three MCD’s.